2 USC 166a - Equal access to Congressional Research Service Reports

U.S Code last checked for updates: May 19, 2024

§ 166a.

Equal access to Congressional Research Service Reports

(a)

Definitions

(1)

CRS product

(2)

CRS Report

(A)

In general

In this section, the term “CRS Report” means any written CRS product, including an update to a previous written CRS product, consisting of—

(i)

a Congressional Research Service Report; or

(ii)

a Congressional Research Service Authorization of Appropriations Product and Appropriations Product, which is available for general congressional access on the CRS Congressional Intranet.

(B)

Exclusions

The term “CRS Report” does not include—

(i)

any CRS product that is determined by the CRS Director to be a confidential product or service because it was prepared in response to a congressional request or requests for confidential analysis or research and is not available for general congressional access on the CRS Congressional Intranet;

(ii)

any Congressional Research Service Report or any Congressional Research Service Authorization of Appropriations Product and Appropriations Product reported or produced before the effective date of this Act which, as of such effective date, is not available for general congressional access on the CRS Congressional Intranet; or

(iii)

a written CRS product that has been made available by CRS for publication on a public website maintained by the GPO Director (other than the Website) or the Library of Congress.

(3)

Other definitions

In this section—

(A)

the term “CRS” means the Congressional Research Service;

(B)

the term “CRS Congressional Intranet” means the Website maintained by CRS at www.crs.gov, or a successor website, for the purpose of providing to Members and employees of Congress access to information from CRS;

(C)

the term “CRS Director” means the Director of CRS;

(D)

the term “Librarian of Congress” means the Librarian of Congress appointed pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 136–1; 1

 See References in Text note below.

(E)

the term “Member of Congress” includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to Congress; and

(F)

the term “Website” means the website established and maintained under subsection (b).

(b)

Availability of CRS Reports through Library of Congress Website

(1)

Website

(A)

Establishment and maintenance

(B)

Format

(C)

Free access

(2)

Updates; disclaimer

The Librarian of Congress, in consultation with the CRS Director, shall ensure that the Website—

(A)

is updated contemporaneously, automatically, and electronically to include each new or updated CRS Report released on or after the effective date of this section;

(B)

shows the status of each CRS Report as new, updated, or archived; and

(C)

displays the following statement in reference to the CRS Reports included on the Website: “These documents were prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.”.

(3)

Furnishing of necessary information and technology

The CRS Director shall consult with and provide assistance to the Librarian of Congress to ensure—

(A)

that the Librarian of Congress is provided with all of the information necessary to carry out this section, including all of the information described in clauses (i) through (iv) of subsection (c)(1)(A), in such format and manner as the Librarian of Congress considers appropriate; and

(B)

that CRS makes available any information and assistance as may be necessary to facilitate the contemporaneous, automatic, and electronic provision of CRS Reports to the Librarian of Congress as required under this section.

(4)

Nonexclusivity

(5)

Alternative techniques

(6)

Additional information

(7)

Omitted

(c)

Website contents

(1)

Specific requirements for Reports posted on Website

(A)

Responsibilities of Librarian of Congress

With respect to each CRS Report included on the Website, the Librarian of Congress shall include—

(i)

the name and identification number of the CRS Report;

(ii)

an indication as to whether the CRS Report is new, updated, or archived;

(iii)

the date of release of the CRS Report; and

(iv)

any other information the Librarian of Congress, in consultation with the CRS Director, considers appropriate.

(B)

Responsibilities of CRS Director

With respect to each CRS Report included on the Website, the CRS Director shall, prior to transmitting the Report to the Librarian of Congress—

(i)

at the discretion of the CRS Director, remove the name of and any contact information for any employee of CRS; and

(ii)

include in the CRS Report the following written statement: “This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as this CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.”.

(2)

Specific requirements for index on Website

The Librarian of Congress shall ensure that the index of all CRS Reports published on the Website is—

(A)

comprehensive;

(B)

contemporaneously updated;

(C)

searchable;

(D)

sortable;

(E)

maintained in a human-readable format;

(F)

maintained in a structured data format;

(G)

downloadable; and

(H)

inclusive of each item of information described in paragraph (1)(A) with respect to each CRS Report.

(d)

Omitted

(e)

Rules of construction

(1)

No effect on Speech or Debate Clause

(2)

Confidential communications

(3)

Dissemination of CRS products

(f)

Effective date

(1)

In general

(2)

Provision of information and technology

(A)

CRS deadline

(B)

Certification

(C)

Technical delays

(Pub. L. 115–141, div. I, title I, § 154, Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 787.)

cite as: 2 USC 166a